North Korea test-fired five short-range missiles off its east coast Monday and banned ships from the area from October 10-20, a South Korean official said.

The official, speaking to AFP on condition of anonymity, confirmed a Yonhap news agency report of the launches and of the “no sail” zones covering parts of the east and west coasts.

The agency quoted military experts as saying the launches appear to be part of regular military exercises. But they did not exclude the possibility that Pyongyang is demonstrating its firepower for political purposes.

The launches were the first reported since early July, and come amid international efforts to bring the hardline communist state back to six-nation nuclear disarmament talks.